Evening performances started right back up again today. As it was only one house, I kept the attire a bit lower key than I might have otherwise. And considerably more comfortable...
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| Shirt Dress - Lane Bryant / Skinny Belt - The Limited / Patterned Tights - Simply Vera (Kohl's) / Suede Taupe Knee-High Boots - Nine West (via Amazon) |
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| Necklace - LOFT / Earrings - Lane Bryant |
I bought this dress yesterday at Lane Bryant's killer clearance sale. After 60% discount and a coupon, I paid $11 for this bad boy. Believe it or not, I didn't yet own a shirt dress (or is it a trench dress?) of any kind, which many would argue is a closet staple. Well, I had been eying this dress for a while, but every time I tried it on, I always felt it looked a bit frumpy on me - especially the matronly neckline. But for $11 I thought, "Why the hell not? I can do something with it." And as I'm not feeling terribly great in my own skin (thanks to more than my share of holiday pounds), I definitely appreciated the roominess of the a-line shape.
This dress screams for accessories, however. I knew right away that I would wear some fun tights, and these patterned burgundy ones were just a perfect shade to wear with its deep, dark navy (definitely nearly black) color. (I also have some super fun raspberry colored leggings, but those will probably wait for warmer months.) The belt it came with also had to go (one of its other main frump-factors), so I added one of my own for a pop of color. I can also see doing belts in a myriad of other colors - yellow, tan, orange, pink, etc. etc. To make it a little less matronly, I also unbuttoned the first button and popped the collar - like the cool kid I am. =) (It didn't really stay that way for long, though.) As for the boots, this was their first wearing. I got them for only $61! They are originally $179! (Amazon is kind of awesome when it comes to shoes sometimes.) I do love the color with the dress - I think it all makes for a great overall palette. But because of the shaft height, you don't really get to see my fun tights very well. They worked, though, especially for these Midwest winters. Besides, it didn't really matter THAT much. =)
In other news, I'm in the market for a new camera. Just waiting patiently to see if the price goes down. I'll probably be taking the plunge this weekend either way. Here's to new toys and better pictures!
